The True Soldier
by Dario
Summary: The story about a true soldier... Zack Halcyon.
1. The True Soldier

**Final Fantasy VII**  
  
_The True Soldier_

  
  
  
  
**Prologue**  
  
  
  
"This is a top secret mission mister Sephiroth. Not even the soldiers accompanied with you will know about it."  
  
"Where will we go?"  
  
"Nibelheim. Mako Reactor."  
  
"Nibelheim... That's where those vicious monsters are, right?"  
  
"Correct. We know why is this happening. A couple of years ago, we closed an Ancient there. Professors Gast and Hojo found _it_."  
  
"...It?"  
  
"What do you know about Ancients, Sephiroth?"  
  
"Also called as Cetra, extinct for over hundred years. They created Materia for the first time, by talking with the Planet they knew everything about dangers. They lived in peace, but a big Meteor crashed and destroyed everything. Those who survived, were killed by us, humans. They--"  
  
"Okay, that's all. Humans evoluated from the Ancients, so they should also look like us. But the lifeform we found, doeasn't look like a human... Althought sometimes it changed its appearance, we only once saw it looking as a human. When we caught it."  
  
"So what? Is it an Ancient, or is it not?"  
  
President Shinra looked closely at Sephiroth, before he replied.  
  
"We don't know..."  
  
  
~~*~~  
A tall man with dark hair just came back from the Honeybee Inn, and went straight to his friend, Cloud Strife. They were like brothers to each other. Looked like brothers, acted like brothers. Sometimes they were even mixing them. The only difference was theirs hair. Cloud was blonde, and Zack had black hair... Zack Halcyon, SOLDIER 2nd in command, right after Sephiroth. Proven many times in battle, he had only one big disadvantage in the battle. He couldn't hit a woman, even if he was ordered to. There were rumours, that he found a girlfriend, but he always was silent about this topic... Still, everyone had an impression of him as a playboy.  
  
"Anything new Cloud?"  
  
"Well, you got a message from Sephiroth.", saying go he gaved him a closed envelope.  
  
"I see you didn't open it."  
  
"Not my thing."  
  
"Hehe, let's see what we have here..."  
  
Zack opened the envelope, and started reading the letter.  
  
_Halcyon, I'm assigned for a top secret mission in Nibelheim. Right now I'm training on the Midgar grounds, so I gaved this letter to your friend.  
  
This should be a very important, and dangerous mission. It would be better if you would go with me. We also need two more grunts as a backup help. I don't want to waste any SOLDIERs on it...  
  
I should be back in the evening. Choose two soldiers, we're leaving tommorow._  
  
"Tommorow!? What the fuck!?"  
  
"...Bad news?"  
  
Zack looked nervously at Cloud, then back at the letter.  
  
"Okay, I'm gonna get killed for this, but I must. I have an assignment for you. You know the rest of the grunts, don't you?"  
  
"Hardly, but let's say I do."  
  
"Choose one soldier. **We** are leaving on a mission tommorow."  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Don't ask questions. Go find someone, I have to take care of something."  
  
"Wait, just say where are we going!"  
  
Zack was at the door, but he turned back and smiled at his friend.  
  
"Your hometown."  
  
  
~~*~~  
"What? You're leaving!?"  
  
"Sorry, but I have to. It's a very important mission."  
  
"Couldn't they send other SOLDIERs??? Like Sephiroth!?"  
  
"He's going also. Commander, and 2nd in command. Top people in SOLDIER..."  
  
The young girl turned back. She knew everything about war, though she was only seventeen.  
  
  
_"...This is a dangerous mission. Right?"  
  
"You might... Not comeback...?"  
  
"You know you can die!"  
  
"I don't want to miss you."  
  
"Please Zack, stay with me..."_  
  
  
The soldier placed his hand on Aeris's shoulder, and she looked at him, with tears in eyes.  
  
"I'll be back. I promise."  
  



	2. The Flower Girl

_Gunfire... Human flesh... Raw... I could think only about this. Nothing else was happening around. Blooded sword in my hands, and dead human bodies below. That was war..._

  
  
  
  
"Hahaha, I really had fun girls!"  
  
"We to Zack, tee-hee. Just remember about us later!"  
  
"I'll never forget this day!"  
  
_Yeah, sure. I already mix those girls..._  
  
"Gotta go, see ya girls!"  
  
"Bye Zack!"  
  
  
Zack Halcyon, SOLDIER 1st Class. As usual, he was sent on a patrol to the Slums, and as usual he went to the Honeybee Inn. Since he moved to Midgar and for the first time visited Wall Market, this was his usual place to relax after the ShinRa work.  
  
This time, the girls gaved him a good time, but he knew that this won't last eternilly. He should find a girlfriend soon... A real one, for that matter. Even his friend, Cloud Strife had a girlfriend. Her name was Jasmine. Beautiful name, beautiful girl. Cloud had it all figured. But not Zack. He was a playboy, but a bored one. He was bored of all the girls that wanted him.   
  
"E-excuse me?"  
  
Zack turned back to the young women. She looked quite mature, although you could see she's a teenager. She had a plain pink dress, long brown hair and one of the most beautiful eyes, that Zack even saw.  
  
"Er... Yeah?", he replied.  
  
"Would you like to buy... A flower?"  
  
Just then, Zack noticed that the girl had a small basket with flowers in her hand.  
  
"You don't see many flowers around here. How much are they?"  
  
"Only a Gil...?"  
  
"I'll take them."  
  
"How many do you want?"  
  
"Can I take the whole basket? I'll give you 100 Gil for it."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. How could I refuse such a pretty girl like you?"  
  
"Hee-hee... Here you are sir."  
  
Saying so, she gaved the basket to Zack, and the soldier started looking in his pockets.  
  
"Fifty Gil... Oh, one hundred Gil. Here you are, hundred and fifty Gil."  
  
"But-"  
  
"Please, take them."  
  
"...Thank you."  
  
Zack smiled, and turned back.  
  
_Now that's a funny site_, he thought, _A mean looking guy like me, going through the streets with a basket of flowers. Man, that's--_  
  
"AHHHH!!!"  
  
"What the-!?"  
  
Zack quickly threw away the flowers, and started to ran back.  
  
  
~~*~~  
"Come on Ancient, we won't do you any harm... If you'll come with us that is."  
  
"No! Get away from me!" - the flowergirl shouted back to them.  
  
The attackers were dressed in black suits. One of them had pretty long hair, another was completly bold, and the third one had fiery, red hair.  
  
"Hey! Who do you think you are!?"  
  
The three guys stopped, hearing a male voice behind. They stayed quiet for a second and didn't move, but then their "chief", who was apparently the guy with the longest hair started laughing.  
  
"Who the fuck are you?"  
  
"That's not your business. Leave the girl and go away!"  
  
The attackers turned back to face Zack. The flowergirl ran over to the corner of the alley they all were in.  
  
"No one messes with the Turks."  
  
"The Turks?"  
  
Before Zack could say another word, the bald man took out a dagger out of his pocket and threw it at the SOLDIER. He quickly jumped back, the dagger avoiding his body by millimetres. The red haired guy ran to Zack, but he grabbed his massive sword and got ready to attack.  
  
"Stop!", the chief shouted, stopping the attack, "We're fleeing away, but remember soldier boy. No one will escape us, the Turks."  
  
Saying so, the three attackers quickly ran back, leaving Zack and the girl alone. He slowly went towards the flowergirl...  
  
"Leave me alone!" - shouted the girl, pushing Zack away as he wanted to help her stand up.  
  
"Hey, you don't have to be scared of me."  
  
"Leave me alone! I hate you all! Fighting, Shin-Ra, Turks, I hate them all!"  
  
Shouting so, the flower girl pushed Zack away and she ran away in the dark.  
  
_"Uh... I hope she'll get home safe..."_  
  
With that, the young soldier sighed, and started walking in the direction where the girl ran just a second ago.  
  
  
~~*~~  
Meanwhile, on the top floor of the big Shin-Ra's Headquarters...  
  
"What do you mean she got away? How long will it take you to catch her!? It's already been a month!"  
  
"We're sorry sir... As you said, we can't use brute force against her. She was alone and we could kidnap her without witnesses, without a trace..."  
  
"Than what happened!?"  
  
"Some... Soldier helped her."  
  
President Shinra wasn't so mad now... He stopped looking Tseng in the eyes, and slowly sit down on his chair, looking at his desk.  
  
"...A SOLDIER?"  
  
"Yes sir, we're sure of it. He had the 1st Class uniform and a very big combat sword."  
  
"Anything else?"  
  
"Long, black hair... Spiky at the top."  
  
"Thank you Tseng, that is all."  
  
"But I--"  
  
"Dissmissed. You can go now."  
  
Tseng lowered his head a little, and turned back, going to the door.  
  
"Case closed, Tseng. I'll call you if something comes up."  
  
Tseng left the floor, and sweared while going down the staires. Meanwhile president Shinra already had a call going..."  
  
"Hojo? How's our little... Experiment going?"  
  
_"Very good sir... He's stronger than ever. No one can stop him now, and I think the war proved it."_  
  
"Thank you Hojo, over and out."  
  
Shinra placeed the phone on it's place, and went over to the huge glass window. He looked outside, at the almost finished Mako Reactor No. 7.  
  
_Sephiroth doesn't know he's an Ancient... What would happen if he'll learn that his mother is an Ancient...? Gast, it was a bad thing of telling him her name... He'll never forget Jenova..._  
  



	3. The Second Clone

_"Why are you calling me brother? Who are you!?" - "I'm you! I'm your shadow!"_

  
  
  
  
"One and two... Where is three? Three just left, that's the end..."   
  
Everything was white. His own reflection in the mirror. No doors. So cold, so quiet.   
  
"Are you sure that's neccessary?"   
  
"Yes, we can't let him get out..."   
  
The two scientists behind the glass mirror were observing Zack closely for the last two hours. After Walter Shinra ordered them to inject him with her... The Jenova...   
  
  
--   
"What do you mean, mister President?" - Zack asked the man behind his desk. Walter Shinra was a bit fat guy, but his expression made him look just like Ra, the most highest Egyptian God... No wonder, everyone were afraid of him. Or, of his power.   
  
"We're sorry, but you can't leave the headquarters from now on. You're _grounded_ for the time being."   
  
"But, but... Why!?"   
  
The President moved his chair away from the desk and stood up.   
  
"You were in contact with someone, that's isn't very friendly towards our company. We are afraid, that something could happen with you."   
  
"...What? The little flower girl? That's who you're talking about?"   
  
"Precisly."   
  
"You've got to be kidding me! She looks like she's 15 years old! How can she do anything to me!?"   
  
"Will you remember about orders?"   
  
"I'm sorry mister President, but if I won't know the truth about that order, I won't leave this room."   
  
"Very well."   
  
Right after that, a gunshot was heard and Zack slowly fell down on the ground, unconsciouss.   
  
"One tranqualizer should do that." - a teenager guy with red hair came out of the shadows, exposing himself to the president.   
  
"Good job, Reno. Come in!"   
  
Two grunts came in from the closed doors into the room. They both saluted.   
  
"You know what to do. Take him away."   
  
The soldiers grabbed Zack by his arms and they dragged him away towards the elevator.   
  
"Reno. I'm opening the dearch for the flower girl again. But this time, you're in charge. I don't want Tseng to have anything to do with it."   
  
"Yes sir. Anything else?"   
  
"That is all. You may go."   
  
The president turned back and went back to his chair, and Reno left the room so quietly, as he came in.   
  
"The third Sephiroth clone is coming... My, my, this is getting interesting."   
  
  
--   
"Your skin like angel wings..."   
  
_"What is he saying?"_   
  
"Your heart like a new home for me..."   
  
_"Is that the effect of the Jenova cells?"_   
  
"Your eyes are a blue sky..."   
  
_"The displays are acting strange..."_   
  
"And you're my brother... And I'll kill you all..."   
  
_"God dammit, this is strange... Get professor Hojo over here!"   
  
"He stood up! He's running at us! Damn, look out!!!"_   
  
  
  
  
"This is what happened, sir." - said Tseng, giving the audiotape to President Shinra.   
  
"He escaped?"   
  
"Yes. Strange enough, when the displays gone mad in Zack's room, the same happened inside Sephiroth's chamber."   
  
"So you're saying, that the Jenova cells are..."   
  
"Linked with each other? Yes, probably. But they can't work without others. If you'll seperate them, they'll try to reunite again. That's what happened with out second test subject."   
  
"What exactly happened to him? I wasn't informed of that."   
  
"Well as you know, we let him loose in Icicle Inn. Rumours went, that the subject left the town in the next three days, and head... North. But strangely enough, he was seen in the Midgar Slums, near-death state. The people from the Slums took care of him, probably. But we don't know where is he now exactly."   
  
"Sephiroth is still in a coma. The second test subject is somewhere in the Slums, and Zack Halcyon escaped from the headquarters... To the Slums?"   
  
"This is possible."   
  
"Sent your Turks over there and try to find him. Leave the other guy. I just want Halcyon."   
  
"Yes sir." - Tseng nodded, and left the room. 


End file.
